Ayane Zehetbauer
Ayane "Ayaze" Zehetbauer is one of the main characters in the UKSRT series, and is the series mascot. Created by Koizumi, she has been present since the first instalment, UKSRT1 (2012). The character also predates UKSRT by a fair bit, appearing in various projects (stepmania and otherwise) including MAWARU FINALE (2011). Ayaze can be seen of as more of an "actor" than a consistent character, appearing in various different mediums and types of game under different roles wherever appropriate, with a backstory that can change as the situation calls for it. Due to this, Ayaze can sometimes be seen as a "dimension hopper", jumping between different realms and changing art style as appropriate. Appearance Ayaze has had a number of different outfits and slightly different hairstyles over the years, but her appearance is consistently characterized by her being tall, having long red hair worn in twintails, red glasses (not needed for sight) and red/blue heterochromia. More recently, she has taken to having drill-type curls with white tips at the end of her twintails. Personality Ayaze's personality is generally incredibly self-serving, which usually leads her to being an antagonist, but is not actually evil. She would be very quick to sell out her friends for personal gain, but does generally try to avoid harm coming to people she cares about. Relationships Ayaze has a friendly rivalry with Laer, where they constantly berate each other, but deep down she believes they are friends. Not much is known about her younger brother Koizumi, but she probably abuses him constantly. Powers and abilities In UKSRT, within simfiles (and only within simfiles), Ayaze has the ability to summon red lasers and other forms of bolts of energy, but her preferred form of mod is to make references to other rhythm games. Major appearances UKSRT1&2 Ayaze appears at the end of both UKSRT1 and 2 with intent to steal the prize money from the entrants. UKSRT3 Ayaze takes on the role of drill instructor in UKSRT3, to help train the players in preparation for the imminent angel attacks. Before the final round, she attempts to hold off Zeruel but is defeated instantly. In the phantasm stage, Ayaze attempts to use her red laser to hold off Kaworu as he tries to initiate the third impact, but is eventually speared with the Lance of Longinus, and most other in-universe characters are destroyed in the third impact. UKSRT6 UKSRT6: Bravely Segfault is a non-canon Bravely Default parody in which Ayaze plays the role of Airy. UKSRT Summer 2015 This event is a what-if scenario in the distant future, in which Ayaze owns a Private Military Coporation, and is developing a Metal Gear. Though Havox is non canon, the Metal Gear she uses in that battle originates from this timeline. Mods Boot Camp Ayaze is the antagonist of the first Mods Boot Camp, where she stowed away on the plane Laer took to the event, and hijacked the mod files from WinDEU and used them to harshly train the entrants for future tournaments. Virus Arc (UKSRT8-11) In SRT8, Ayaze is one of the nurses working at North Inver Tower's Gate Hospital. She is indirectly responsible for the SHAME outbreak occuring (by opening a door in Chan's face while he's holding a vial containing the sample), though she still blames Chan to this day. During the events of SRT9, Ayaze is the one who connects REDACTED's old PC while accidentally crosswiring it with the Prototype Mind Transfer Device, causing the main cast to be sucked into the PC. Cameos UKSRT4 Ayaze cameos as one of the Arrow-kun in stage 3 (Octopus dance/Neurotoxin). UKSRT5 Ayaze cameos in the very intro, asking if it's her that's going to be the successor to the god of spacetime. (She isn't). She also cameos as the host of MAWARUCHI SURVIVER, SRT5 stage 3, cosplaying as The Princess of the Crystal from Penguindrum. UKSRT7 Ayaze appears as one of the main cast attempting to find out what's going wrong, and is mostly present to act as a foil for Laer. She is possessed by Cuphea along with the rest of the cast before the final round. Galactic Gladiators Ayaze appears here as one of the gladiators. Her stage is basically a Mawaru. For the final round, she brings back the Metal Gear from Summer 2015. Misc simfiles * Ayaze appears as the villain of Arrowquest, where she kidnaps Ashe due to being salty that she was chosen as the player 2 character for future tournaments after the events of UKSRT5 * Ayaze appears in "Botanic Panic", where she sits atop a pedestal with a cannon, firing cannonballs at the players. * Ayaze appears as the boss of the game "Ayaze's Challenge" in Princess Mimi's Actual Fuck You where she demands that the players give her the items she requested in the exact order specified. * Ayaze is the surprise antagonist of antagonist of London 2016 ITG Winter Cup's final round, (jokingly) claiming to be the devil. Trivia * Ayaze's name comes from the contraction of Ayane and Zehetbauer into "Aya Ze". * Ayaze's casting color for spellcards is #ff8000 * Her blue eye in her heterochromia is opposite to Laer's. * Ayaze is the only character in the UKSRT series to have actually died on screen (UKSRT3). * Ayaze's name (stylized as all lowercase "ayaze") is also used as a hardcore music alias of her creator, with album releases (usually) utilising artwork of her for the cover. * She ironically backed Mighty no. 9. Rhythm game references Ayaze is a big fan of rhythm games. As a kaiden-level in almost every game, she has a penchant for making tongue-in-cheek nods to other music games. Her favourite rhythm game series is DJMAX. * UKSRT2 was themed around rhythm heaven. In the final round, Flugel, she makes reference to, in order: BeatmaniaIIDX, DJMAX Technika, Air Rally (Rhythm Heaven Fever), Karate Man (Rhythm Heaven Fever), Pop'n music, MaiMai, Jubeat, Fillbots (Rhythm Heaven Fever), ToneSphere and Sneaky Spirits (Rhythm Heaven). * In her Galactic Gladiators round, Ayaze does a similar thing to what she did in UKSRT2, making reference to, in order: BeatmaniaIIDX, Jubeat, Sound Voltex, DJMAX Technika, Pop'n Music, MaiMai and A Ball Bounces While Slightly Fitting Music Plays. * In UKSRT7's final round, Ayaze's attack is themed around CrossXBeats. * In UKSRT8, she excuses herself early on in order to go home and set up a Sound Voltex Dao. * In UKSRT9 stage 4a, Ayaze's main attack is themed around Groove Coaster.